May 2, 2024
Dear Members of Congress,
On behalf of Independent Women’s Voice, I strongly applaud the introduction of the bipartisan bicameral disapproval resolution by Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Representative John James (R-MI) to undo the recently finalized Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) electric vehicle (EV) mandate applying to light, medium-duty vehicles. Independent Women’s Voice fights for women and their loved ones by effectively expanding support for policy solutions that aren’t just well-intended, but actually enhance people’s freedom, opportunities, and well-being.
The EPA’s tailpipe emissions rule, or EV mandate, is a solution in search of a problem. By mandating car manufacturers convert 67% of their vehicle fleet to EV by 2032, car dealerships will continue to see EVs going unsold and offer fewer choices for consumers. That’s why over 5,000 car dealerships have joined together to oppose the EPA’s finalized rule.
EV cars, unlike internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, come with a whole host of problems. These green alternatives have a limited driving range and require multiple charging stops.
Additionally, they are far more costly than internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. Without government subsidies, a typical EV costs $58,000—a price tag that’s $13,000 more than a comparable ICE car. More troubling is a November 2023 Consumer Reports report that found new EVs have “79 percent more problems” and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) have “146 percent more problems” compared to ICE vehicles, respectively.
EVs may also even be worse for the environment than conventional vehicles. China, the world’s biggest polluter, has a virtual monopoly over EV mining— producing 60% of rare earth elements and processing nearly 90% of them. A recent study found that EV brakes and tires release approximately “1,850 times more particle pollution” than ICE tailpipes. EVs sourced from rare earth elements outside of the U.S. are usually procured using child or slave labor and aren’t subjected to the same environmental standards found here in the U.S.
Despite the Biden administration’s push to force EVs on the American public, car buyers aren’t rushing to get them. Many Americans remain skeptical about them—with half saying they’ll never purchase one, even with a $7,500 tax credit.
EV sales are also slowing down, with a 7.3% decrease observed between Q4 2023 and Q1 2024. Many EV buyers are also pivoting back to gas-powered cars. And it’s not just consumers souring on EVs; car manufacturers are scaling down their production too. This trend led CNBC to proclaim boldly, “EV euphoria is dead.”
For all these reasons, we urge the House and the Senate to work toward the swift passage of this resolution of disapproval. IWV thanks Senator Ricketts and Representative James for their leadership on this issue.
Respectfully,
Gabriella Hoffman
Director, Center for Energy and Conservation
Independent Women’s Voice